The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Trauma care unit at KGH in 2 months

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 16, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Trauma care unit at KGH in 2 months

Special Correspondent

Second bypass surgery performed at the hospital

Trauma care units to be opened at several places
Ambulances on highway to take patients to units

VISAKHAPATNAM: The level-I trauma care unit being established at the King George Hospital here as part of the Central Government’s programme is expected to be ready in two months, according to hospital superintendent T. Ravi Raju.

The Central Government has initiated the programme along with golden quadrilateral (four-line highway connecting all the four metros) to reduce the death rate in road accidents and other cases by providing quick and high quality medical care to the victims. Hospitals at some places along the golden quadrilateral have been identified to develop trauma care units. Ambulances specially placed along the highway at frequent intervals will rush patients to the nearest hospitals. They will operate up to a distance of 50 km from the highway.

In the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, trauma care units are being established at places like Itchapuram, Visakhapatnam, Tuni, Guntur, Nayudupeta along the National Highway. Sixty ambulances are being placed on the National Highway on the stretch from Itchapuram to Nayudupeta. Trauma care centres of four levels are being set up. The level-I unit will have all facilities and is allotted Rs.16 crores followed by Rs.13 crores for level-II, Rs.6 crores for level-III and Rs.3 crores for level-IV unit.

Funds released

An initial sum of Rs.1.5 crores was released for the trauma care unit at KGH. About Rs.80 lakhs was spent on construction of the building and equipment worth Rs.70 lakhs was purchased and would be installed in two to three weeks, Dr. Ravi Raju said on Wednesday. The rest of amount would be spent on acquiring some more equipment, maintenance and salaries.

The trauma care unit here would have three orthopaedic surgeons, three neuro surgeons and three anaesthetists along with 10 casualty medical officers, 40 staff nurses and 30 paramedical staff. The Central Government had earmarked Rs. 80 lakhs a year for salaries of doctors and supporting staff. KGH doctors and staff would made the trauma care unit operational initially before full-fledged strength of doctors and other staff were appointed.

Dr Ravi Raju said KGH had suggested to the Government to appoint permanent staff for the trauma care unit instead of engaging doctors and others on a contract basis.

The super-specialities block, for which a building was being constructed, would be made operational in June or July next year while the 24-hour laboratory of the KGH would be ready by December, he said.

He also said that the second bypass surgery was performed at the KGH on Tuesday.

KGH started performing bypass surgeries under the Arogya Sri scheme in association with the Apollo Hospitals after equipping its operation theatre with all the facilities required. The first bypass surgery was conducted on August 1.

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